How to Hike to the Hollywood Sign

The Hollywood Sign hike is one of those iconic hikes that you need to do at least once. Not only will you hike to the Hollywood Sign, but you'll get some spectacular views of LA along the way.
When you’re planning your Hollywood Sign hike, I’d recommend doing it as early as possible. The hike gets very crowded. If you do go early, try to go on a day where there’s no marine layer (clouds).
The Hollywood Sign is on Mt Lee, which is on the edge (and within) Griffith Park. Griffith Park is LA’s version of Central Park in New York.
There are some steep sections on the hike, but thousands of people of all shapes and sizes hike to the Hollywood Sign, so you can too.
You actually hike up behind the Hollywood Sign. You get great views of most of LA and the big mountains to the east that separate LA from Palm Springs and the desert.

If you Google directions to the Hollywood Sign, you will be routed to the main part of Griffith Park, which is nowhere near the Hollywood Sign. That’s because the Hollywood Sign Trust worked with Google and Garmin to override any directions, bringing you miles away to a Hollywood Sign “viewing platform.” They did this because locals don’t like tourists walking through their neighborhood. Every trail in this guide is perfectly legal to hike on, all I ask is that you respect people’s private property.